Da Rum Tum Tugger
by PhoenixFlame53
Summary: There are only a few days left until the Jellicle Ball, but everything is mixed up with the arrival of a new cat, sporting...dreadlocks? What's worse is the fact that he claims to be Tugger...


Hello! PhoenixFlame53 here, and this is my first CATS fanfiction on this site! The story behind it- I was not very stoked about the 'return' of Tugger in London as a rapping cat when I first heard about it, and after hearing the new and improved song and seeing the...um..._costume_...I didn't like it all that much either. Something out of my mixed confusion and anger compelled me to write the first chapter of a fanfic around the new Tugger and his constant rhymes, and even now I'm listening to the song on repeat as I write this.

_(Obviously, I do not own CATS or its characters. Music and lyrics belong to Andrew Lloyd Webber and must be preserved for eternity.)  
_  
It might help, if you haven't heard the song yet, to hear it before reading. Here is the Youtube video I endured: ** watch?v=kyxZV3-zFFs. **Just copy and paste into the search bar at the top and off you go into a world of dreadlocks and rave klaxons.

I know lots of people say about this in their fanfictions, so I will too: **I write the Jellicles just as they are shown in the musical and a vast majority of fanart- humanoid and able to do things that humans can (like the dancing), but referred to as cats and still doing cat-like things (like the head rubbing).** **Literally just what they are in the musical. ****Unless I write them another way, of course. **They will most likely change idioms and phrases and suchlike into more cat-like statements, such as _couldn't put his finger on it = couldn't put his paw on it _but no need to worry about that too much, it's probably only going to be Munkustrap saying stuff like that anyway. :)

(Just so you know, I prefer to write Mistoffelees' name as **Quaxo** unless he's performing. I know lots of you write it as Mistoffelees but the name has already stuck!) 

* * *

**The 'new' Tugger's raps are in bold.**

* * *

It was one of those familiar days in the Junkyard when the Jellicle cats lounged around and did nothing. Nothing at all- just talking in hushed tones as other Jellicles slept and yawned and stretched, lying out in the brief instances of warmth and sunlight flowing in. Munkustrap was content to relax without any intrusions, all the while keeping watch, Tugger and Bombalurina were surrounded as they slept by queens and toms alike, and the kittens snuggled together in a heap. It was, of course, a time in which Jennyanydots was completely content to just lay on anything that was smooth and flat, her work with the cockroaches now complete. Everything was peaceful those days.

It seemed, however, that at night all was alive. It was not yet the Jellicle Ball- no, there were still a few days left to go before that- but everything was rushed, and everything was happening _now. _It was filled with last-minute practises. Singing. Dancing. To the humans, it would have sounded annoying, but it was made sure hours beforehand that _nothing _would disturb the tribe's precious time.

Well, apart from another cat, of course.

* * *

It was right in the middle of Tugger's song- right when he was doing some _marvellous _hip thrusts, I must add- that the stranger appeared. Everyone stopped dancing and squealing bar Etcetera and some of the other kittens, who were quickly silenced by Tugger himself.

Munkustrap stepped forward to look closely at the strange cat, Alonzo, Quaxo, and Tugger also stepping forward determinedly behind him.

The tom in question looked...well, unlike any other cat Munkustrap had laid eyes upon, and Munkustrap had seen many come and go in his Jellicle life. He was much the same colours as Tugger was, but his fur was hardly as exaggerated, and somehow similar in style to dreadlocks that were in fashion with the humans nowadays. His small, muddy gold ears were hardly visible under what appeared to be another human-like accessory around his head- but Munkustrap just couldn't put his paw on it- and dangling loosely from them were two yellow oval shapes, which humans wore on their ears too. Although collars and bells were often worn around the necks of cats, Munkustrap himself sporting one, this particular cat wore three silver chains around his neck, each with a letter hanging from it- they, together, spelt out 'RTT'.

Munkustrap was satisfied that this cat was completely new to him, but something seemed off about those chains. "Um, hello. Are you lost?" Receiving no reply and a blank stare, Munkustrap scrapped his former plan and went straight to the point. "Who do you thin- What is your name?"

Suddenly, the cat laughed, bemused. "**Hey hey Munkz, I thought you could read! I'm da Rum Tum Tuggah, yes indeed!"  
**He gestured wildly to his chains, grin plastered on his face, until he noticed something odd about the cats surrounding him- they weren't rushing towards him but instead staying put where they were.. "**Wait, wait, what? Where are the fanz? Is this a joke? A secret plan?"**

"It seems our visitor here only speaks in rhyme," Quaxo said, rolling his eyes with a frown on his face, "And needs a lobotomy." It seems both Tuggers were terribly boring to him, but he was a good friend of the more familiar one nonetheless.

Tugger laughed a little at Quaxo's sarcasm, before stopping short, his eyes widening. "But _I'm _the Rum Tum Tugger! There can't be two of us!"

"**Nah, you're not the Tuggah that's real. I eat kits like you as a tasty meal!"**

Most of the cats laughed loudly at this. At the sound of Bombalurina and some of the kittens laughing too, Tugger saw red and pounced towards the rapping cat, but Alonzo and Munkustrap rushed forward to hold him back. "Calm it, Tugger-" was all Munkustrap could manage to get in before Tugger spoke again, his voice deep and angry.

"He's making a fool of me! Stop laughing! Everyone's- I- won't-" Tugger struggled to get free of Munkustrap and Alonzo's grasp, frustrated. "Let _go!"_ He managed to push them away, glared at his doppelganger, turned on his heel and rushed off over the broken car and out of sight. Munkustrap looked after him worriedly.  
"That's Tugger gone for a while. He likes to go off in a huff like this sometimes. I hope he's alright."

"He'll be fine. There's no need to worry, Munkus." Alonzo rubbed heads affectionately with a grateful Munkustrap before turning to the other Tugger with a serious glint in his eye. "For now, we need to worry about _him._"

Munkustrap sighed lightly, furrowing his brows. "Look. I don't know who you are, and you're obviously not a Jellicle. You've upset my brother and interrupted our practise for the Jellicle Ball. I don't know what I'm going to do with you, but I do know that if you don't give me one good reason why you should be here I'll run you out myself." Munkustrap bared his claws slightly, just enough to make his point.

The tom's eyes widened, and in his sudden fear he began to rap again as if to some sort of background music.

**"Yo yo Munkz, no need to be rude-  
if I didn't come here I'd be Pollicle food!  
I was makin' my way, rappin' and singin',  
When the dogz came in, scratchin' and bitin'!**

**I made it away to the rooftop, yeah,**  
**When I saw a lil' kitten standin' there-**  
**She was white as snow, pale as an icicle**  
**I asked her who she were, and she said Jellicle."**

The crowd turned around in shock, and Quaxo looked the most shocked of all. "Victoria...?" Victoria blushed slightly at the sudden attention and smiled, nodding. "I didn't mean to. I left and came back home as soon as I said I was a Jellicle. I thought that would scare him off if he was dangerous."

The corners of Munkustrap's mouth turned up in a weak smile as he remembered how fearsome and well-known the Jellicles were to other members of their species, and even humans to some extent. It made him feel very proud to be a Jellicle, and as he looked around him he saw Alonzo and Quaxo smirking a little too.

However, he soon realised something that brought him back to reality, and the smile was gone. "But if Victoria left, how did you-"  
**  
"When I followed her here, I saw a lot of cats  
Dancin' and singin' and things like that  
And that's what I do, ain't it, so I tried  
To be your friend! Now, that aside,  
I'd love to sing in your feline crew-  
that's my plea, from me to you."**

Etcetera began to clap loudly, stopped only by Jemima's unamused gaze. All was silent as they processed what "Tugger" meant, until Pouncival began to laugh hysterically, clutching his stomach.

**"Now this is-"**

"No, not _you_!" Pouncival cried, rushing over to Munkustrap and whispering something in his ear. Munkustrap looked as embarrassed as Tugger was previously, and coughed, glancing over at Pouncival before he began, his voice calmer than before and his claws out of sight.

"Yo. Yo, I'm Munkustrap, but listen here-  
I think I understand just why you're here.  
And I'd like to, um, just say,  
That if you want to, you can stay today."

Munkustrap took a deep breath in.

"But, my, uh, _homie_, you must understand-  
this decision is pretty much out of my hands.  
Well, my _paws_, really, but I must confess,  
it's our leader who's gotta decide what is best."

Munkustrap let a deep breath out. Despite what he was doing, he smiled a little, amidst sniggers from the younger cats of the tribe. Rumpelteazer, Mungojerrie and Pouncival were already rolling around on the floor, stifling their laughter as best they could.

"So you've got three days and nights with us  
Until Old Deut comes and lets us  
Sing and dance in our...'feline crew'.  
Until then, we'll, well, accept you."

Applause erupted from the crowd of laughing Jellicles, and everyone rushed forward to greet the beaming cat, briefly explaining who they were- however, over the rabble, only a few distinct voices could be heard. A cat's ears popped out from behind the ruined car, and then a head, and then a body, and then legs.

_"Well, I think you know me by now. I'm Munkustrap."_  
"Hello, pretty boy..."  
_"Oi! I'm Mungojerrie! You sound pretty cool! We were laughin' at Munk's attempt, though, right Teazer?"_  
"Yeah! 'E was hilarious! Hahaha!"  
_"Quaxo at your service. Or Mistoffelees, if you really want to call me that. Mr. Mistoffelees is for when I perform or use my powers or at the Jellicle Ball and so on, formal things like that, you don't need to worry yourself with the details really-"_  
"I'm the Rum Tum Tugger."

That last voice sounded familiar. They turned to see Tugger standing across the Junkyard with his back towards them, his gaze steady and arms by his side. His tail was just as still and placid as his voice was.

"Nice to meet you."

Mungojerrie snickered. "Oi, Tugger! What's up with you? When were you so dramatic? You're turning into Demeter!"

Demeter glared at Mungojerrie and scratched him slightly, and he laughed out a short sorry, but there still was no answer from Tugger.

* * *

That night the Jellicles slept soundly with nought to disturb them. The moon shone in, illuminating their curved, slender bodies with a silvery glow. Everyone looked surreal and mystical, as if they were the Everlasting Cat's own litter. It was calm enough for Munkustrap's liking, however, and he curled up to go to sleep.

As he did so, he spotted his brother, turned away from him. Although he couldn't see the other side of Tugger's head, he knew Tugger was lying awake, thinking and thinking and thinking.

It would be a long three days, Munkustrap knew it. And then the Jellicle Ball straight afterward? This was hardly the perfect scenario, and yet...it would mix things up a bit, it seemed. Even he was excited to what 'Tuggah' could bring to the already hectic table.

And then it came to him. Tugg_ah_ was pronounced slightly differently to Tugg_er_, wasn't it? Of course, _that's _how they could distinguish it! He was a genius.

Finally satisfied everything was in order at last, he whispered a goodnight to Alonzo and Tugger who lay silent next to him, and closed his tired eyes.


End file.
